Leda Update Generates Enthusiasm for Service
Over 40 participants attended the monthly meeting for the Leda Project on May 22, 2016 at the Ocean Church in Little Ferry, New Jersey. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss recent and ongoing happenings in Paraguay, such as the latest tour of Leda made by James Nada, President of South and North America Sustainable Development for World Peace (SNA-SDWP), as well as the upcoming Universal Peace Federation (UPF) Youth Service project in July.
To start off the meeting, Rev. John Gehring, vice president of Let’s Lead Green-USA, gave an update regarding the upcoming UPF Youth Service project.
“We have a full house of people,” he said. “With 22 youth from countries around world such as the United States, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Japan, Honduras, Brazil, and Paraguay.”
This year, Rev. Gehring plans to have the youth visit Olinpo where True Father spent many months working for the success of the Pantanal projects. Other prospective activities for this summer’s trip include planting trees around the city and village, farming, fishing, and horse riding at the Leda Settlement site, and holding a seminar on the subject of True Parents’ vision for Leda as well as the history of the project.
The meeting continued with Mr. Nada’s presentation about his latest trip to Leda. Mr. Nada related that this most recent trip was shaped by the arrival of Mr. Hyungduk Kim, who was commissioned by True Mother to observe the status of the projects in Paraguay. In addition to explaining the history and mission behind the Leda Settlement to Mr. Kim, Mr. Nada travelled with him to visit several major farms in Argentina, including a fish farm, and the National Research Institute of Aquaculture.
The highlight of the trip was the culmination of a major environmental endeavor: the Leda Project has just tagged and released some 40,000 Pacu fish into the Paraguay River to promote the aquacultural benefit of riverside communities.
About halfway through the meeting, Rev. Michael Sykes and his wife, Minister Zena Sykes, unexpectedly stopped by and later expressed a strong interest to visit Leda. Rev. Michael Sykes now plans to visit Paraguay from July 23 – August 3. The Leda Project continues to generate enthusiasm through its hands-on and far-sighted approach to sustainability first introduced there by True Parents.
For more information about upcoming opportunities to serve and contribute to the Leda Project, please visit their website.